


The safety of the ivory Tower

by Anja_Petterson



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers Tower, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2019-07-30
Packaged: 2020-06-09 13:28:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19476865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anja_Petterson/pseuds/Anja_Petterson
Summary: After the events of the battle of New York  all seem settled. The Avengers enjoy family time in the tower and Thor have a Professor for religious studies for visiting. Only Loki refuses to work with the new, peaceful situation...





	1. Whisper in the air

"I watched you …" The strange voice told you in your dreams. "…I watched you lighting the candles on your shrine …"  
You woke up close to dawn. Like every night. With open eyes you laid in bed staring up at the ceiling. You tried hard to recognize the voice. So warm and velvety. But you never put a face to it. Just .. a tickle in your back. A memory not yet happened. You stayed in bed until the sunrise, getting up for breakfast.

Since living in the tower, life had become beautiful. Finally you were able to connect with a true norse god. After all the years of studying them, you could talk to one and have an exchange of information and enter into a very different society.

That wasn't even all of it. The tower itself was amazing! So full of people you had formerly admired from afar. Now you saw them daily.   
Breakfast time in the common room meant you ate with Cap, a surprisingly shy man with amazing manners. To watch him chatting calmly with Thor or Natasha and her partner Clint made you starstruck the first few mornings. But, you calmed down after watching them stealing Thor's pop tarts from his plate or making bets about how they could get Dr. Banner out of his skin.  
Stark was always the biggest gambler and the first time he teased Banner nearly gave you a heart attack.   
Dr. Banner himself seemed not to mind at all. Working with his science buddy was a soothing way to hold his Hulk at bay. You heard the rumour that Hulk and Thor were sparring partners in the gym down in the cellars of the tower, but in all honesty, you were still too afraid to watch that.

"… light up a candle for me … clean the air … you have not forgotten me? …"

The velvet voice, sounding like cinnamon and ash, woke you every dawn, no matter what you had dreamed before.   
It was the only secret in this tower. And it puzzled you a great deal. In truth, you needed time to confess to yourself whose voice you were hearing. Ashamed, that you had nearly forgotten him, you dared to ask Thor one morning.  
"Thor?“  
The blond giant gave you a questioning look with his usual sunny smile. "What is it, dear?"  
"What .. what had happened to … your brother? Is he in prison?"  
The moment you asked about his brother you saw a shadow fall on Thor's face. A moment later he pressed his lips together, as if he refused to answer. "I don't know.", he eventually started. "It must sound awful in your ear, but father – the allfather – he wanted to imprison him in the Asgardian dungeon." Nervously, he twisted his toast around in his fingers. "Well, I couldn't allow it. Loki .. even he deserves a chance, you know? You understand?" With wide and innocent eyes he glanced at you and you nodded wildly.  
"Of course. But ..? Where is he?"  
Thor set his toast back on his plate. "He is living on the same floor as me. But, he refuses to come out of his quarters. He fears I would parade him around like a caught animal – so he said to me." He takes a deep breath and confessed. "Every morning I walk into his quarters and ask him to join me for breakfast. And every morning he refuses."

"Oh. I see." You consider what you just heard. "But .. did you tell him about me? About my job? My mission? Perhaps that would make him curious enough to join in?"

Thor frowned at your words. "It's funny you ask. I told him about you your first day here. All he said was something like 'interesting' and then he refused to talk to me for the whole day. As if I had insulted him with the invitation of a Professor for religious studies.“ He shrugged sadly and gave you an impression of a sad puppy, which never failed to make you smile.


	2. Fight buddies

2.  
At dawn the whisper in the back of your head woke you again. But, was it in your head? Wasn't it in the air? In your ear? You shivered at the thought that he would – could? - enter your quarters.  
But, on the other side, … what were you willing to give to meet him?   
So you light a candle on your little shrine and you sit down before breakfast to write a small letter. Some brave words – a little prayer – to him.   
After that you burned the note with the candle and watched the paper crumble.

"What does he do all day?", you asked Thor at breakfast. The answer didn't surprised you.  
"He reads all the time.", Thor told you. "Mostly history. I bring him a new book every day from Stark's library. But, I tell you, when the year is over, there will be no book he has not read."  
"Well, there is still the public library.", you respond. "And maybe I can give you an inquiry schedule for him to look over?"  
"I will gladly offer it to him, my dear. But I can't promise that he will look at it." He patted your hand and smiled. "I think if I just set it on his table and say nothing about it, his curiosity will get the better of him."   
"I really hope so. I have so many questions about the stories he's appeared in."   
Thor laughed. "Well the kidnapping of Iduin was a great one. But I told you already that didn't happen."   
He leaned over the table. "Or do you think there are some secrets of Loki's that I don't know about?"  
"Well, that's one of many things I want to find out." 

"… when will you come for me? …", The voice whispered, "... bring me your offering …"

More and more demanding, but alluring, now you waited for the voice. The purring sound and the shiver along your spine from listening to him. It was crazy. The thought of him – HIM – just a few walls away from you, reading, watching, waiting ….Like a boogey man you want to have visiting you.  
You felt silly not opening up to Thor, but part of you was ashamed.   
Squeezing your eyes you tried to remember the footage from the TV news, the enraged god, forcing his power upon others … the mad king. It made you sick to your stomach, but all you could recognize was the dark leather and gleaming gold. The pale face surrounded by the raven locks, like a dark halo. The power radiating from him.   
Your hand slipped between your legs and you tried not to think but to recall a face.   
Who was the crazy one here? The fury god or the dazzled worshipper?

With remorse you got up for breakfast and – to punish yourself AND him – you did not light a candle.  
Instead you forced yourself to watch for the first time the sparring between Hulk and Thor. All the Avengers were there, also a lot of the tower staff. Yelling and cheering they stood behind safety glass and watched Hulk mopping the ground of the gym with Thor's hair.  
You had to cover your eyes at this view and felt sorry for both of them. Yes, they both enjoyed this kind of made up fight, and yes Banner had assured you that the Hulk had fun with it. To you it seemed such a disgrace for them. Either way, you got dragged into the moment and caught yourself cheering and laughing, while Thor managed to throw Hulk around. Suddenly the hair on your neck stood up. Something was wrong. You turned and checked to see who was looking at you, but all eyes were on the fighters. It didn't matter, you knew you had felt a glance on you. You shrugged it off and focused on the fight again.   
"Ohmygoshohmygosh....", you muttered, as Hulk got a huge clash from Thor. "It really doesn't hurt him? You are sure?", you asked Stark, who stood beside you, laughed wildly.  
"Oh no, no!", he cheered and clapped his hands. "Quite the contrary. Bruce himself said he always feels very relaxed and kind of relieved after a good training session."  
Shaking your head you watched Thor waving his hands to signal his yielding, a cracked smile on his face.  
Hulk huffed and growled, slamming his giant fists on the ground and turned around. All eyes watching him tumbling into the changing room to have some privacy. Hulk may be a show off, but Banner wanted no one around when he turned back to himself.

The audience left slowly and you waited until you had enough space around you to leave the gym. At the door you turned quickly around. There was no one watching you, but you felt once more that you were not alone.


	3. Lasagne

"Hey, what's up with you?"  
You jumped at Clint's voice. "Oh gosh, you startled me."  
Clint grimaced. "Sorry. Kind of normal with me.", he apologized while he and Nat followed along. "But she is even better.", he nodded toward Nat.  
"I can imagine.", you chuckled and felt your mind clearing by the minute. Rubbing your forearms, you smiled wide to her. "Will you both join the others for dinner tonight? I thought I might make a lasagne for all of you. Kind of promised Pepper."  
"Yeah, right. I forgot it's your turn this week!", Clint grinned happily.   
"Lasagne sounds delicious.", Nat agreed. "When will you start it? We can help …"  
"No way! You will get spoiled this evening." Your eyes caught Thor and Bruce coming along the corridor to join you. "And I know some guys who really deserve a home cooked meal."  
Clint turned back to give Thor and Banner a high five. "I can't believe you won, Bruce.", he cheered.  
"I didn't.", Banner corrected him. "The green guy did."  
Even in his defeat Thor smiled proudly and patted his sparring partner's shoulder. "Fair and square. It was an honour!" His eyes finr you and his face lights up even more.  
"Did I hear right? We shall get a warrior's meal tonight?"  
You laughed and the funny feeling from the gym disappeared.

Not sure how much Thor could eat, you made an extra baking plate of Lasagna.  
"Guys!?", you shout from the kitchen. "It'll be ready soon, will you start setting the table?"  
You smiled at the merry answer, listening to the sound of China on the table.  
"Can I help you carry anything?" The captain came in and looked at the three baking plates.  
"I am afraid you have to, but first the bowls with salad."  
He laughed as he takes0 them. "Good idea. Thor will be horrified."  
You laughed with him "Don't be mean, it doesn't suit you!"  
"Oookayyy!"  
But he was right. As you both went into the dining room with the salad bowls you could see Thor's face filled with shock. His and Stark's, which made it even funnier to you.  
But it was Banner who rushed into the kitchen to bring the first Lasagne tray in. "Everybody calm down.", he smirked. "There is more in the kitchen.."  
"Bless the Norns", Thor muttered under his breath.  
Giggling you filled his plate first, before every other plate had a turn. After that the first tray was indeed empty and Bruce was so nice to change it for the next.  
Soon you could enjoy the weird view of superheroes, chatting and joking around. The cap pulled his note book out and made a request for a movie he hadn't seen yet.  
"Rocky? Haven't we have enough of that for today?" Natasha teased him lightly. Cap's face went blank. "I don't know, Natasha, have we? I haven't seen this movie?"  
"Don't spoil it, don'tspoil it!", Stark demanded loudly.  
"What is there to spoil? It's a freaking boxer movie?"  
"Oh CLINT!"  
"Well, now we have to watch it..." Steve pouted a bit.  
"I'm in!", Banner supported him.  
"I haven't seen it for years, I'm in too.", you declared and set your fork aside. "Everyone finished? Because there is some caramel pudding waiting for us."  
At the end it was decided to eat the dessert while watching the movie. Sitting comfortably between Natasha and Thor you relish your pudding while Rocky screamed for Adrian.  
Thor laughed in joy about the happy ending. He reached out with his arm and rested it along your shoulder in a friendly way, squeezing you. "An amazing film! What a good choice."  
You stiffened up in surprise and shot a glance to Natasha beside you. Bending over you let Thor's arm slip down from your shoulder.  
That was way too close and Natasha sensed it thankfully.   
"Thor, can you reach the pudding bowl?", she distracted him while you slowly got up, telling everyone goodnight.  
"I have to look over some papers. Next week I have to deliver an Article."  
Leaving you heard Steve and Tony having an argument about the name 'Adrian' and its use for a woman.  
The door closed behind you and you paused in the corridor. You understood that Thor's behavior was surely harmless and friendly, but you hoped Natasha would speak to him.  
As if this situation was not enough, suddenly a soft breeze touched your ear with a mutter in it.  
"... I am waiting... for your worship…"


End file.
